Headline News

9, June 2016

French Senate votes to lift EU sanctions on Russia ⁰

The French Senate has voted for a resolution aimed at lifting EU sanctions that were imposed on Russia over the crisis in eastern Ukraine and reunification with Crimea back in 2014. An influential senator says the future of the French Republic is “inconceivable without dialogue with Russia.”

The non-binding motion was approved in the Luxembourg Palace on Wednesday with 302 senators voting in favor of the proposal and only 16 against the move, which stipulates a gradual scaling down of anti-Moscow restrictive measures.

According to French media reports, the motion cannot pressure the government because the renewal of the embargo is made in Brussels and requires unanimity of the 28 Member States. During the Senate debates on the draft resolution, Jean-Pierre Raffarin (seen below), the French premier from 2002 through 2005 and currently a senator, said “France’s future is inconceivable without dialogue with Russia… The text of the resolution is well-balanced and that’s why I’ll vote for it.”

Presstv

9, June 2016

400,000 Cameroonians living with the sickle cell disease ⁰

Yaounde, the nation’s capital is hosting the 2nd Congress of sickle cell disease under the theme ” Sickle Cell Disease in Cameroon: Place, Care and Prospects”. Cameroon Intelligence Report learnt that the forum has been placed under the patronage of the Minister of Public Health, the controversial Andre Mama Fouda.

According to a recent study, 400 000 people are living with the sickle cell disease in Cameroon. The same study hinted that 1 out of every 3 Cameroonian has the “SS” gene. Minister Mama Fouda opened the congress and unveiled the National Blood Donor Card scheme.

CIR

9, June 2016

Cameroon to honor free blood donors ⁰

A new card system to encourage and recognize free blood donors has been launched under the National Blood Transfusion Program. The Minister of Public Health, Andre Mama Fouda presided over the ceremony in Yaounde on the 8^th of June 2016. Minister Andre Mama Fouda explained that the card system will enhance visibility and trace-ability in the health sector.

The new system comprises four cards:

– White for first time blood donors

– Green for those who have donated thrice

– Yellow for ten times donors

– Gold for those who have donated more than 20 times,

The cards will be accompanied by incentives. Public Health officials noted that before spreading to regional-hospitals, the pilot phase of the card system will take place in two health units: the Yaounde Central Hospital and the Douala Laquintinie Hospital for six months.

During the ceremony, a collaboration manual to facilitate the work between associations that promote free blood donation and the National Blood Transfusion Program was also launched. Cameroon will on 14th June 2016 join the international community to commemorate the International Blood Donor Day under the theme, “Blood connects us all”.

CRTV/CIR

9, June 2016

Cameroon host scantily attended forum on terrorism ⁰

Legal experts and few stakeholders in the legal system have begun reflecting on the implications of legal frameworks in the fight against terrorism. The three-day conference which started on the 8th of June 2016 is being chaired by Abane Ongolo on behalf of the Minister of Higher Education.

During the opening session, the Director of the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC), Pierre Emmanuel Tabi emphasized the need to re-examine laws governing the war on terrorism in order to make them more efficient.

The legal experts have made it public that they want to efficiently accompany those fighting terrorism. They shall henceforth exchange notes so as to pick out some of the limitations encountered as Cameroon continues to wage the war against Boko Haram terrorism. The forum was reportedly a waste of tax payers money

CRTV/CIR

9, June 2016

Cameroon: Prime Minister Philemon Yang meets Sao Tome envoy ⁰

The Prime Minister Philemon Yang has met with Sao Tome and Principe’s former Prime Minister, Gabriel Arcanjo Ferreira da Costa. Cameroon Radio and Television reported that the 8^th of June 2016 meeting was intensive and productive.

Gabriel Arcanjo Ferreira was bearer of a private message from President Manuel Pinto da Costa of Sao Tome and Principe to Cameroon’s Head of State, Paul Biya.

The Republic of Sao Tome and Principe is a Portuguese-speaking island nation located in the Gulf of Guinea. It has a population of about 190.00 people and its capital city is Sao Tome.

CRTV/CIR

8, June 2016

Congo Kinshasa: Rebels kidnap 100 civilians ⁰

Suspected Ugandan rebels have kidnapped about 100 people during an attack in the troubled northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the UN says. Lieutenant-Colonel Martin Amouzou Codjo, spokesman for the UN Stabilization Mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO), told a press briefing on Wednesday that members of Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) abducted the civilians during an assault on two villages during the attack in Bas-Uele province on June 4.

He said rebels also went on a looting spree across the volatile region. “These attackers also kidnapped nearly a hundred people to carry the loot,” Codjo told a press conference in the capital, Kinshasa. The spokesman also strongly denounced the regular atrocities committed by the ruthless LRA against civilians in the northeast of the African country.

Formed in 1986, the LRA is engaged in an armed rebellion against the Ugandan government in what is now one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts that has claimed the lives of thousands of civilians and displaced another two million.

Presstv

8, June 2016

Darak: 40 fishermen kidnapped by Boko Haram ⁰

Forty people mostly fishermen from Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon were kidnapped late on Tuesday in the town of Darak bordering Nigeria. Cameroon military sources say heavily armed men described by some locals as Boko Haram militants attacked the village of Darak and took along with them the forty men.

Cameroon Intelligence Report was reliably informed that 10 other fishermen were killed during the Boko Haram raids. Our informant also revealed that Boko Haram has pledged allegiance to the Organization of Islamic State and is now called Islamic State in West Africa.

Militarily weakened by the strikes of the coalition, the Nigerian Islamic sect has changed tactics. It now proceeds through suicide bombings or raids to sow death among the population.

CIR

8, June 2016

Cameroon: Man who could not honor Captain Abega Theophile sends Ali condolence to Obama ⁰

President Biya who was conspicuously absent during the burial ceremony of the late Dr Abega Theophile, the legendary captain of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon has addressed an official telegram to US President Obama from his five star hotel resort in Swiss over the death of Mohammed Ali. Cameroon Intelligence Report understands the Biya document was sent to Washington on Wednesday, June 8, 2016. In the said telegram, Mr Biya wrote:

“Mr. President, I have learned with emotion, the death of Mr Mohammed Ali, former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. I salute the memory of this legend. In these painful circumstances, I extend to you and to the family of Mr. Mohammed Ali my sincere condolences. Please accept Mr. President, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration.” The funeral of the American triple heavyweight world champion will be held in the US on Friday, June 10, 2016.

CIR

8, June 2016

Cameroon: National Oil and Gas Company pays 82,44 billion FCFA to the treasury ⁰

The National Oil and Gas Company of Cameroon SNH has announced that oil production in Cameroon estimated at 12.3 million barrels on April 30th 2016 is experiencing a noticeable increase of 19.42% compared to the same period a year ago. Despite lower crude oil prices on the world market with a barrel selling below $ 30, oil production in Cameroon is expected to increase in the coming months with the commissioning of new oil fields. SNH revealed recently that gas production amounted to 4,286,600,000 cubic feet, down 5.77% compared to the same period last year.

In a dramatic change of government policy, the SNH released a statement observing that the sales of crude oil and natural gas on behalf of the State of Cameroon enabled the company to transfer to the government treasury 82, 44 billion FCFA cumulatively between January and April.

CIR

8, June 2016

Defense Chiefs of Iran, Russia and Syria to meet in Tehran ⁰

Defense ministers from Iran, Russia and Syria are scheduled to meet in Tehran on Thurday to discuss the campaign against terrorism as well the recent developments in the Middle East. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu and his Syrian counterpart Fahd Jassem al-Freij will participate in the meeting on the official invitation of their Iranian counterpart Hossein Dehqan.

The defense ministers are to exchange viewpoints on the latest regional developments and ways to strengthen and extend the fight against terrorism during the trilateral meeting, the IRNA news agency reported. In a speech to the newly-elected parliament in Syria on Tuesday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad expressed gratitude for Russia, China, and Iran for the support they have provided to the Damascus government.

Presstv